Stairville - Enttec Open USB

[johnf52]

We have recently aquired 8 of Stairvilles cheap LED PARs (5ch: Mode,R,G,B,Speed) and for the first time (glutton for punishment) running a show from software (Chamsys MagicQPC) via an Enttec Open USB.

 

The conventional dimmers respond fine but I cant get a peep out of the LEDs. Had several "conversations" with Chamsys and all the software is setup ok and can see the appropriate DMX levels going up and down in the Output window, but nada.

 

Have been told that it might be that the cheap PARS simply dont like the Open USB! Has anyone else had similar problems and more to the point been able to find a fix?

 

Much appreciated.

John Foreman

Tech Manager

Old Nick Theatre

Gainsborough

[themadhippy]

sounds like the same pars and dongle ive used many times without any problems.I assume youve turned the leds intensity up in chamsys (group-select the led par group and hit the bottom right hand soft button)

The only issue ive had with the open dongle is the occasional flicker due to the pc doing the DMX timing,not te dongle

[johnf52]

sounds like the same pars and dongle ive used many times without any problems.I assume youve turned the leds intensity up in chamsys (group-select the led par group and hit the bottom right hand soft button)

The only issue ive had with the open dongle is the occasional flicker due to the pc doing the DMX timing,not te dongle

 

 

Went through the procedure with Matt from Chamsys; setting up "virtual" dimmer, allocating to same head number etc so RGB intensity is scaled by this "fader" but no joy!

[sleah]

might sound daft, but have you actually had the PARS working from A.N.Other desk? Ideally a normal 'theatre' style desk with faders.

[p.k.roberts]

Just to eliminate some of the 'unknowns', do you have any other way of checking that the PARs are responding to DMX at all? It might not be the software or the dongle that are causing the problem and it would establish that the pars responding to DMX rather than in some kind of freestanding mode and eliminate any cable, five pin to three pin conversion or DMX polarity issues.

 

E2A - great minds think alike - but mine's a bit slower!

[johnf52]

Just to eliminate some of the 'unknowns', do you have any other way of checking that the PARs are responding to DMX at all? It might not be the software or the dongle that are causing the problem and it would establish that the pars responding to DMX rather than in some kind of freestanding mode and eliminate any cable, five pin to three pin conversion or DMX polarity issues.

 

E2A - great minds think alike - but mine's a bit slower!

 

Yes guys sorry, should have stated. PARS work fine with a Scenesetter and Behringer desk I have around for "quick" patches all 5 channels behaving as they should, but not a peep from the PC running either MagicQ or the stripped doen Stage Console through the Enttec Open USB interface.

[tom_the_LD]

Have you tried addressing all the PAR's to DMX address 1, patching in 5 generic dimmers in MagicQ and then going to the "Int" view and trying control directly from the faders? (Faders 2, 3, 4)?

 

If that works then it's got to be an issue with addressing/patching in the software.

[johnf52]

Have you tried addressing all the PAR's to DMX address 1, patching in 5 generic dimmers in MagicQ and then going to the "Int" view and trying control directly from the faders? (Faders 2, 3, 4)?

 

If that works then it's got to be an issue with addressing/patching in the software.

 

 

Been there, done that and like I say they dont work with Stage Console either, or the "Simple" mode of MagicQ, or even the really stripped down C++ file that Enttec have as a download for testing DMX. As far as I can see using the hardware desks I can get a response from 2,3,or 4 giving R, G, B it doesnt matter if 1 & 5 are addressed so long as they are at zero level,in but if software patching, the cans address starts with whatever you want 1 to be. Have tried all permutations.

 

Am really begging to think there is no way out of this because they just dont like the DMX that the Open USB generates 'cos its done in the PC!

[Brian]

I'm still not sure if we've eliminated a wiring problem. The dongle is 5-pin out but, IIRC, the two 'real' desks are 3-pin. Have we eliminated the possibility of a faulty 5-3 adaptor?

[Wol]

Am really begging to think there is no way out of this because they just dont like the DMX that the Open USB generates 'cos its done in the PC!

 

If you've proved that the LED cans don't play ball with the OpenDMX interface whether they're using MagicQ or other PC based software but are fine with a different controller, then you'll probably have more luck with a different USB interface. Have you tried a MagicDMX interface with MagicQ at all, to see if you can narrow down as to whether it's your OpenDMX interface, or whether it's the PC?

 

The only other suggestion I can think of is to use an active DMX buffer somewhere in the system (not a passive buffer) so that you get a clean DMX signal out the other end. You do still have the problem of the DMX buffer not playing ball with the OpenDMX interface though and not being any further ahead.

[tom_the_LD]

Do you have any other DMX devices you can try the dongle with? Have you tried another 5 - 3 adapter as Brian suggests?

 

As I said earlier, and as themadhippy said, we've used MagicQ with an Open USB dongle and those very same cans before and it's been fine!

 

 

Cheers,

 

Tom

[Wol]

we've used MagicQ with an Open USB dongle and those very same cans before and it's been fine!

 

Remember, with the Open USB dongle, the *PC* is also a critical part of the chain.

 

Something I've not seen mentioned here yet: OP, have you tried a different PC? What is the spec of the PC you're using at the moment? Have you tried using a different USB hub?